Hohhot: A team of Chinese geologists has identified a large deposit of a previously unknown rare-earth mineral in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The rare earth, officially named by the International Mineralogical Association as Huanghoite-(Nd), is a new carbonate mineral dominated by neodymium, which is crucial for electric-vehicle motors and offshore wind turbines.
According to Emirates News Agency, researchers from the China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) and the Inner Mongolia geological survey institute discovered the reserves in the mid-section of the main orebody within the Bayan Obo deposit. This site is known as the world's largest rare-earth mine, highlighting the significance of this discovery in the global rare-earth landscape.